Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan, located on the banks of the Ishim River in the northern part of the country. Situated within the Akmola Region, the city functions as a self-administering entity and serves as the nation's primary seat of government.
The city has undergone several name changes throughout its history, beginning with its founding as Aqmoly in 1830. It was later known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, and Aqmola before being renamed Astana in 1998, a name that translates to "capital" in Kazakh. Although the city was briefly renamed Nur-Sultan in 2019 to honor former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, it officially reverted to the name Astana in 2022.
With a population of approximately 1,622,245 within its city limits, Astana is currently the second-largest city in Kazakhstan, following Almaty. It replaced Almaty as the national capital in 1997.